key tax return and refund dates
When can you file your taxes?
You can submit your tax return before the IRS begins processing as early as the first week of the year with many tax preparation providers. You don’t need to wait until the IRS begins accepting tax returns but you must have the proper forms and paperwork. Some forms are not available until mid January. Tax returns filed before the IRS officially opens sit in a “queue” and are held until the IRS officially begins accepting tax returns.
Your tax return may be selected in a test batch. If you e-file early and it sits in queue, your return may be sent to the IRS early. This can result in early direct deposits depending on the payment provider you select. Our cycle chart will update with key dates including test batch dates.
When does the IRS accept tax returns?
The IRS usually opens around the third week of January each year. They announce the opening date early in January.
The IRS will begin accepting tax returns in 2025 on January 27th.
When is the IRS test batch?
If you file your tax return early, it may be sent to the IRS in a test batch before the IRS has officially opened for the year. It is usually a week before the date the IRS begins accepting tax returns. This has resulted in refunds in the past that can be posted by direct deposit as early as the day after tax season opens.
When will I get my tax refund?
Early filers whose returns are accepted in a test batch can anticipate a tax refund as early as the day after the IRS opens the January filing season if your return was in the test batch. The day that the IRS deposits refunds varies for regular returns but we notice trends based on the method you chose to file and select to direct deposit. You can use our tax refund calendar or refund cycle chart to help find out when you will get your tax refund.
Where is the IRS refund cycle chart?
The official tax refund cycle chart published by the IRS has been eliminated and replaced with IRS FAQ. Refund cycle charts are now published by independent websites and vary slightly.
A good reference to use is the When To Expect My Refund cycle chart that is published early each year by the College Investor.
tax refund grapevine
This is a user-to-user community of taxpayers. Share experiences and ask questions below in our Live Discussion. We have learned more about tax refunds than we ever wanted to know.
tax refund tools
IRS Update Cycle
Use the IRS Update Cycle chart to find the days and times the WMR and transcript update.
When are Updates?
The IRS has regular mass update cycles.
WHEN DOES WHERES MY REFUND (WMR) UPDATE?
Where’s My Refund can update any day of the week. But there are mass updates on Wednesday and Saturday when a lot of people see an update. Use our calendar to find out what day you can expect to see updates on Where’s My Refund.
WHEN DO transcripts update?
Transcripts can update any day of the week. But there are mass updates on Tuesday and Friday. Use our calendar to find out what day you can expect to see an update on your transcript.
Another Friday where my account is still frozen on a 570 code. Nat, I hope you had better luck today!
Congrats to everyone who finally got movement.
@orianasenoj any update on your return this week?
So my transcripts updated this morning. Everything is blank. But I do have an as of date for 4-21-25. Can someone tell me what that means? I filed March 28th and accepted the same day
@Butterfly01: yes today it hit
@Madinjay: you’re very welcome. Hopefully we all update in the morning fingers crossed 🤞🏿
@orianasenoj: thank you so much
Chime hit about 15 minutes ago. Waiting on Wells Fargo. DDD on transcript is 4/8
By the way, I never had any updates to my transcripts until it fully updated and released today. My cycle code ended up being 20251404 so I didn’t even start processing until after ID verify. Verified online. Also split refund into two accounts so if you did that and need to verify, you will need to use the first account listed for verification.
Filed 2/2. ID verified on 3/24. Transcripts updated today with 846. It’s coming, it may just take time.
@Madinjay: that could be weekly or daily but I’d say weekly check Friday mornings around 2am then again 2pm
@IAMHeiress: Did you get a CP5071? Is that ID verify?
@orianasenoj: thank you it says 20250605. Does that help me determine what I am? There’s been no movement at all they said I should update 4/7
@Madinjay: I wish I could give a definite answer it depends if you’re weekly or daily. Sometimes it’s done overnight until 2am sometimes until 2pm
@Nat Bat: yes I did for 2023 and I had to call irs let them know that it was not me. They verified everything with me including my identity and they started to process my 2024 return but I went into the irs building to do everything. They will give you a PIN moving forward but nothing much else was needed. It was simple
@orianasenoj: really? You had fraudulent w2s under your ssn? What did you do? Obviously irs caught it back in February I’ve had a 570 hold since 2/6. But it’s April now and I have no movement. Did you contact ssa as well?
@Stillwaitingsincejan: I have no idea at this point. Even if I submit an amended return, I’m really just resubmitting my whole tax return again aren’t I? Cause everything was correct expect those two fraudulent w2s. And amended returns take up to 16 weeks don’t they? I don’t even know what to do at this point. I’m just waiting to see if SSA can do something cause IRS is basically telling me to give them the 120 timeframe
@GirlNeedsMoney: Same here, just been super busy.
My question is to transcripts update at any time of day?
@DTM2025: ITS said everything is a 971 this season unfortunately
@GirlNeedsMoney: honestly it has been all over the place and different for everyone
I just filed my taxes last Friday. I know I am late to the game, and I do have EIC and CTC. Is it moving along quickly this late in the season?
@Nat Bat: Yes I had that issue but they fixed it quickly tbh
@Nat Bat: omg sorry is it better to amend taxes and make the math corrections or just leave it 570 let them figure it out?
Which I called on the 19th of March to get a tax advocate which they told me that someone will contact me within two weeks. Called today at my two weeks having not heard from them they tell me that they never submitted it because I needed to id verify but failed to inform me and that I can not get a tax advocate until June for this issue but that my wages and taxes have been verified just waiting to verify my credits claimed. This is insane. I’m like why didn’t the rep tell me I couldn’t get a tax advocate until verified. This is ridiculous she should have told me that. She said I’m just waiting for the release code. Like I asked her why is the computer not checking weekly to verify it’s not hard.